Liquid dispensing apparatus



March 26, 1940. BECHTQLD 2,194,843 I LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS FiledFeb. 25, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l xxxxxxxxygyy xvl*y xvxxxxx v x xx Mar h26;194o. E. BECH GLD 1 194 43 LIQUID msrsusme nrmrus Filed Feb. 25, 19385 Sheets-Sheet 2 MENTOR @.m, y ATTORNEQQ Mach 26, 1940.

R. E. BE CHTOLD LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb.25, 1938 l 1. HH. M.- 5:

M W' 1 BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 26, 1940 v UNITED STATES 2,194,843 LIQUID DISPENSINGAPPARATUS Reuben E. Bechtold, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Tokheim OilTank and Pump Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of IndianaApplication February 25, 1938, Serial No. 192,460

6 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus of the typeordinarily at filling stations for supplying liquid fuel to automobiles.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a dispensing apparatushaving a motor-driven pump for withdrawing liquid fuel from a supplytank and causing the liquid to flow through a dispensing pipe line inwhich is connected 9. meter associated witha counter or computer forindil0 cating the quantity of liquid passing through the line whichordinarily terminates with a manually operated valve-controlleddispensing nozzle, means for' stabilizing the pressure of liquid in saidpipe line in order to obviate irregularity of the operation of saidcomputer, counter or other indicating device. f I

It is also an object of the instant invention to insure precision in theoperation of the meter, indicator or computer of liquid dispensershaving such apparatuses. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the followingdescription.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevatlonal view of a liquid fueldispenser, a portion thereof being broken away, other parts being insection; a

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the receiving chamber, pump and floatchambers that form parts of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the pumpmechanism and partsrelated therewith, the section being on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is another sectional view projected from Fig. 5, including theby-passvalve, the section being on the line. 66of Fig. 2;

95 Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view, the section being through thefloat chamber; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view showing the by-pass return duct, thesection being on lines 88 of Figs. 6 and 7.

The instant invention is in some particularsv similar to that disclosedin'Letters Patent No. 1,868,444, issued to me July 19, 1932, for Aireliminator for liquid, and also in other particulars to the inventiondisclosed in my co-pending ap- (creel-95) plication, Ser. No.'162,584,-filed September 7 This invention is constituted of a group of conwith ahousing I. In the group are included a 5 pump 2 provided with a motor 2'for driving it through the medium of a belt 2" and having also a suctioninlet 3 connected by a pipe 4 with a liquid fuel storage tank 5; an aireliminating unit 6 provided with a receiving chamber 1 connect- 10 edwith the outlet chamber 3' of said pump through a duct 1; a valvemechanism constituted of a by-pass valve -8 and a regulating valve 9located in said receiving chamber to control corresponding outlets; ameter in connected with 16 the liquid outlet duct I l for said receivingchamber by a pipe ll; an outflow check valve 12 located in said liquidoutlet duct for the receiving chamber; a counter or computer unit I 3having a reset crank I 3' andprovided with an .0 operating stem I0connected with and actuated by the meter; and a dispensing line Hleading hose I6 provided with a manually operated valveg4;

controlled nozzle l'l.

I The pump and air eliminating units Preferably, the pump and aireliminating units are-contained compactly within a common hous- 80 ingIS in which is provided a receiving chamber I and also a float valvechamber l9, closed by a cover 20, provided with a vent outlet 2| at itstop. The pump here shown isof a well known type similar in character tothat set forth in my 35 previous patent above identified, and isprovided with rotors 22 and 23 that have geared relation with eachother, the rotor 22 being keyed on a drive shaft 24 which extendsthrough a tubular portion 25 that preferably is integral with the 40housing l8 and extends through the receiving chamber 1. Upon rotation ofthe drive shaft the rotors are actuated which causes functioning of thepump.

Within the tube 25, at the respective ends 45 thereof, are providedbearings 26 and 21, and there is provided on'the drive shaft a looseextemally grooved sleeve 28 that has axial move-" ment on said shaftlimited by a screw 29in the tube that projects into the groove 30 insaid sleeve. A packing 3|, is interposed between one end of the sleeveand the bearing 21, and there is also disposed around the shaft acompression spring 32 between the other end of the sleeve 28 and thebearing 26. By this means constant 88 In a partition 34 withinthe'housing l8 that separates the receiving chamber l and the floatchamber is, there is provided a constantly open restricted passageway 35through which is permitted to continuously pass a small amount of fluidfrom the receiving chamber including liquid and entrained efiervescenceconstituted of gas and air that arises from agitation of the liquid asit passes through the appliance.

Over the passageway .35 is disposed, at a point suitably spacedtherefrom, a deflector 3G to cause lateral deflection offluid as itpasses from the receiving chamber into the float chamber, thus to avoidinfluencing, by current, movement of a float 3'l, hereinafter referredto, located in' said float chamber.

A tilting member lt is mounted upon a pivot 39 supported in a bracketill, and is connected with said float 3'? by a stem i i. The tiltingmember has pivotally attached thereto a drain valve d2 that controlspassage oi liquid from the float chamber iii into the suction chamber 3or the pump through a branch duct 33 that has communication with aninterconnecting duct ti l which is operatively associated with theby-pass valve ii and the suction chamber 3 of the pump.

The housing l8 (Figs. 7-8) has therein a chan nel Mi leading downwardlyfrom the float chamber iii and is provided with a plug M5 at its lowerend, the purpose of said channel being to permit draining of the floatchamber if desired. Also, there is provided in the upper end or thesuction chamber 33 of the pump a screen ll removably positioned therein.The screen is confined in place above the suction inlet ill of the pumpat its inner end by a flange it provided within the housing and at itsopposite end by a cap threaded in the outer wall of the housing wherebyis permitted convenient removal and replacement of said screen.

Valve mechanism Within the receiving chamber is disposed thespring-restrained by-pass valve 53 provided at the upper end of itsstars. iii with a piston head 52 that has reciprocal movement in acylinder E53 secured in the partition i i in the housing by means of aclamp plate at. The head of the cylinder till'has made therein anopening 55 for the free passage of fluid therebyto permit movement oithe piston head. A spring 56 is disposed between the lower end of thecylinder strucimre fill and the valve d for holding said preventing thepump and its driving motor from becoming stalled.

Regulating value Within the receiving chamber 7 also is disposed theregulating valve 9 by which is controlled flow of liquid from thereceiving chamber into the liquid outlet'duct ii. The valve 9 has a stem51 provided'at its topwith a piston head, like that on the stem 5| ofthe by-pass valve, and has reciprocal movement in a corresponding ventedcylinder 53'. A spring 58 is disposed between the cylinder 53'- and thevalve 9 that tends to hold said valve in closed position. The spring 58for the regulating valve is so constituted as to have less resistancethan the spring 55 for the by-pam valve. whereby the reg- ,ulatingvalve, due to pressure within the receiving chamber, opens more readilythan does the by-pass valve.

The regulating valve and the by-pass valve herein disclosed functioninsimilar manner to the corresponding valves set forth in my previousPatent No. 1,868,444. In the present invention, however, there isdisposed in the liquid outlet duct ii, which is controlled by theregulating valve 9, the spring-restrained .outflow checi: valve i2.

Preferably, the outflow check valve i2 is movably disposed upon astationary peg 59 that is mounted in a removable plug fill which isscrewed into the housing l8, and there is' provided a compression springti that bears against the valve iii which tends to hold said valve inclosed position. The valve has axial movement upon the peg, fits snuglythereon, but is sufliciently loose as to permit relief of fluid pressurethat might occur Within the dispensing line Ml due to rise oftemperature or manipulation of the flexible hose ill. The backward urgeof liquid in the duct ii is readily relieved by passage thereof into thereceiving chamber 7 past the regulating valve 9 Whichrises whenexcessive pressure occurs in said duct.

A stationary hose nozzle parking hook tilt is provided on the housingfor support of the nozzle i'l when not in use, and a lever 63 is pivotedindicated at 64 in the housing that has a link connection fii with apivoted bell crank BE which is operatively associated with a secondpivoted bell crank Bl. Said second bell crank is connected operativelywith the electric switch so on the motor ll by means of a connecting rodtil. When the nozzle is positioned on its parking hook and bears uponthe outer end of the lever iii-3, the electric switch thereby is heldopen and consequently the motor-driven pump is inactive. Upon removal ofthe nozzle from its parking bracket, as when dispensing gasoline fromthe apparatus, the switch may then be closed and the motor started bymanually raising the outer end of the lever 53 thereby causing operation{if the bell cranks fifi-tl and the rod 69, thereby closing the switchtill and consequent operation of the pump.

Operation In utilizing the apparatus, the storage tank 5 l is filledwith liquid to be dispensed and the motor switch .63 is connected in theusual manner by means of conductors with a suitable source of electricenergyv (not shown). The apparatus is then primed as in the customarypractice after which it is in readiness .for dispensing operations. Uponremoval of the nozzle from its parking hook the outer end of the lever63 maythen be manually raised to cause closing of the motor switch 68through the medium of. the intervening connections therefor provided.The nozzle tip then 'is inserted in the flll opening of the patronsvessel (not shown) and upon opening of the 2102- 7% zle' valve theliquid from the storage tank is drawn therefrom as the pump is actuatedand Due to operation of the meter, caused by flowv of liquidtherethrough, the counter or computer is advanced to an extentcorresponding with the quantity of outflow of liquid through the meter.

Thus is indicated to thepatron the quantity of "liquid delivered. Uponclosing of the dispensing nozzle the outflow of liquid is stopped. Thenozzle is then returned toits idle position on its parking hook, therebymoving the lever '63 downwardly which causes opening of the motor switchand consequent inaction of the pump.

During the passage of the liquid from the storage tank through theapparatus, the liquid -flrst is drawn by action of the pump into' thesuction chamber 3 thereof and from thence through the screen 41 andintake port 48 of the pump.. The liquid then passes through the pump andis discharged from its outlet chamber 3 into the receiving chamber '1through a duct 1' therefor.

provided. (Figs. 3 and 5.)

During operation of the pump, a limited amount of liquid that enters thereceiving chamber passes therefrom through the. constantly. open'restricted passageway 35 into the float chamber l9, whereby is removedfrom the receiving chamber efiervescence, such as gas and air that isentrained with escaping liquid. Thus the receiving chamber iscontinuously relieved of gas and air. From the float chamber the gas andair constituents therein escape tothe atmosp'here through the ventoutlet 2|, while the liquid constituent, when accumulation thereof isofsuch quantity as to raise the float 31, the drain valve 42 is therebyopened and the accumulated liquid within the float chamber is thereupondrawn by-suction of the pump into its suetion chamber 3 through thebranch duct 43 and interconnecting duct- 44 and subsequently reentersthe receiving chamber I by action of the pump.

While the pump is in operation, pressure of liquid in the receivingchamber 1 is raised, and

when the pressure reaches a predetermined point, the regulating valve 9is raised by upward movement of the piston head on its stem inopposition to restraint of its spring 58, thus permitting liquid fromthe receiving chamber to pass into the liquid outlet duct ll. When theliquid pressure in the receiving chamber rises to a second higherpredetermined point, as occurs when the pump is operated and thedispensing. nozzle valve is closed, the by-pass valve 8 thereupon israised by action of its piston head 52 in opposition to restraint of itsspring 56, thus permitting the liquid supplied by the pump, through itsoutlet chamber into the receiving chamber I, to pass back into thesuction chamber 3 of the pump, whereby to circumvent stalling 6f the pup- An important feature of'the invention is the supplemental outflowcheck valve l2, preferably located in the outlet duct II thatco-operates -with the regulating valve 9 in permitting outflow of liquidthrough the dispensing line and in preventing backflow of liquid throughthe meter into the receiving chamber 1, except such amount as is forcedbackwardly between the hub of the valve l2 and its supporting peg 59after stopping of the pump and pressure in the dispensing line becomesexcessive incidental to rise in temperature,' or bending or coiling ofthe hose. In this manner the dispensing flow line and the meter are atall times kept completely filled with liquid under pressure, andbackflow of the liquid therefrom, exceptwhen the liquid pressure becomesexcessive, is prevented. When operation of the pump is resumed, whilethe'nozzle is still closed, .the normal .operating liquid pressure ismaintained in the flowline and therefore the meter is not materiallyaffected.

Upon stopping of the pump the pressure in the receiving chamber I isrelieved by escape of fluid through the passageway 35, whereupon, theregulating'valve 9 automatically closes. The ,function of the outflowcheckvalve I2 is to substantially retain'the operating pressure in thedispensing line and meter until after the regulating valve is completelyclosed. This operation occurs upon closing of the nozzle and subsequentstopping operation of the pump. When the outflow check valve 12 closes,the dispensing line is substantially maintained full of liquid underoperating pressure, and especially during closing movement of theregulating valve 9 which follows as the pump coasts to a complete stop.Should excessive pressure occur in the dispensing line, due to-rise oftemperature or flexure of the hose, such excessive pressure is relievedby leakage past the outflow check valve and back pressure against theregulating valve, whereupon the excess of liquid in the dispensing lineis admitted back into.

a spring restrainedregulatingvalve provided with I means in connectiontherewith for opening said valve by pressure of liquid within thereceiving chamber of said unit and being adapted to permit backflow ofliquid from the dispensing line into said chamber when the pressure insaid line imaterially exceeds that in said chamber, a spring restrainedoutflow check valve disposed in the dispensing line between saidregulating valve and the meter adapted'to permit limited backflow ofliquid within the dispensing line into said receiving chamber.

with an air eliminating unit, liquid supply means 2. In a liquiddispenser of the type provided connected therewith, a dispensing lineterminating with a manually operated valve-controlled 'nozzle, and aspring restrained regulating valve provided with means in-connectiontherewith for openingsaid valve by pressure of liquid within thereceiving chamber of said unit and being adapted to permit backflow ofliquid from the dispensing line into said chamber when the pressure insaid line materially exceeds that in said chamber, a spring restrainedoutflow check valve disposed in the dispensing line between saidregulating valve and the nozzle adapted to permit limited backflow ofliquid within the dispensing line into said receiving chamber.

3. In a liquid dispenser of the type provided with an air eliminatingunit, a dispensing line connected therewith that terminates with amanually operated valve-controlled nozzle, and a regulating valveoperable to open by pressure within the receiving chamber of said unitto permit outflow therefrom into said line and also operable to permitbackfiow from said line into said chamber when the pressure in said lineexceeds that in said chamber, an outflow check valve in said lineadapted to permit limited bacltflow from said line into said receivingchamber. a

4. In a liquid dispenser of the type provided with an air eliminatingunit and a dispensing line connected therewith that terminates with amanually operated valve-controlled nozzle, a regulating valve operableto open by pressure within the receiving chamber of said unit to permitoutflow therefrom into said line, andalso operable to permit backfiowfrom said line into said chamber when the pressure in said line exceedsthat in said chamber, a check valve in said line operable to permitoutflow 0! liquid through said line and adapted also to permit limitedbackilow therein to said receiving chamber.

5. In a liquid dispenser of the type having a dispensing line,terminating with a manually operated valve controlled nozzle andprovided with a regulating valve controlling the flow ofliquid into saidline, a check valve in said line operable to permit outflow of liquidthrough said line and

